I recently had a question from a donor… “I have some money to give, and I’ll be visiting Faya Orphanage soon… what the best way to spend the money that will help the most?”

What a great question! Ok – so if you would like to talk “bang for your buck” – here goes.

Of course, anything donors give is very much be appreciated!

But the biggest need is for funds to continue operations – to pay salaries and rent and medical visits, etc. The folks at Faya are also saving to buy a house for the Faya kids. Both of these things – well, that’s what we at Vulnerable Children Society do for them.

Vulnerable Children is their dependable, reliable income source – and we do that thanks to the donations of kind people like you. We are also starting a small capital fund, which may very well go towards building them a house (but there is still a lot of groundwork to do.)

Our monthly transfer to Faya Orphanage allows the Faya folks to prioritize, and buy what is needed most. When we started out, Meseret the director was quite adamant that she prefers the dependable, consistent income through us that lumps of cash every now and again.

The best expenditure after that is to buy stuff locally. My husband and I did that, when there was no Vulnerable Children, and when we were entrusted with some money to “help as best we could.” We went with Meseret and Sintayehu and bought them furniture, teff, and stuff they really could use. It was great to see all these local corners and places you wouldn’t otherwise – and they got to spend it as they saw fit. Best off, it supports the local economy.

The least effective is to buy stuff here and bring it over. For two reasons – one, your money goes SO much further in Ethiopia! and because you are supporting the economy there, and (ok three reasons) the stuff you bring may not be as culturally appropriate as stuff you could buy there.

The storeroom at Faya Orphanage full of donated formula.

I’m not dissing donations – heck – free stuff is free stuff!!! We had a hockey bag of donated formula that went a long way to nourishing a whole bunch of Ethiopia babies, and boy o boy, was it appreciated!

BUT if you have cash to give, I would donate it to Vulnerable Children, or spend it with Meseret, in the local community, in Ethiopia.

Thanks so much to that donor for asking – and for all of your wonderful people who have visited (and brought donations, bought teff) and donated via Vulnerable Children!